Playing House
by minimcguinness
Summary: After the disastrous events of 3x17, Blair wishes to be somewhere else. Anywhere else. And so, her wish is granted, and Blair finds herself waking up twenty-one years in the future. Where she has a daughter and the life she's always dreamed of. Only it's with Dan Humphrey.
1. Prologue: Wrongs and Wishes

**Title: **_Playing House_

**Rating:** _T_

**Fandom: **_Gossip Girl_

**Characters: **_Blair, Dan, Serena, Nate, Chuck, Carter, Jenny, Eva, Rufus, Dorota, Lily, Eleanor, etc. The usual GG crowd with a few OC's thrown in._

**Pairings: **_Blair/Dan, Serena/Carter, Nate/Jenny, Chuck/Eva, mentions of Blair/Chuck._

**Spoilers:** _Up until 3x17._

**Summary: **_After the disastrous events of 3x17, Blair wishes to be somewhere else. Anywhere else. And so, her wish is granted, and Blair finds herself waking up twenty-one years in the future. Where she has a daughter and the life she's always dreamed of. Only it's with Dan Humphrey. _

**Author's Note:** _I'm back! On a new account maybe, but I've finally returned to the land of Dair fanfiction. I missed it, so I decided to come back with this incredibly ridiculous fanfiction featuring everyone's favourite couple. Some things are canon past 3x17 in this, but that's mainly the whole ChuckEva debacle (still ship them) and the Inside arc. Things will become clearer as time goes on. The prologue is pretty Chair heavy, but certainly not in a positive way. But this is Blair after he trades her for a hotel, so she's obviously going to be focusing on their relationship. Anyway, I've missed you all a whole lot, and I'm now officially presenting: Playing House!_

It's when she's sitting at the bar, glaring down at her fourth cosmopolitan, that Blair starts to think it's her fault.

Deep down, she knows it's not. If your complete dickhead of a boyfriend trades you to his creepy uncle for his hotel then it's not like you can be held accountable. But Blair's been playing along with Chuck's sick game for nearly three whole years now, and she knows the ropes almost as well as he does.

And rule number twenty-five is that no matter what happens in their relationship, no matter who does what to who, it's always Blair's fault. It's how they play the game, it's how they've always played the game, and Blair is almost certain that it's how they'll always play the game. Eternal game of cat and mouse.

But Blair also figures it will all be worth it in the end, because she loves Chuck and Chuck loves her and sometimes, _most of the time_, it's all she needs. It's all he needs, and Blair is very good at giving Chuck whatever he needs.

And it's with these thoughts that Blair begins to think that what Chuck really needs is some time away from her. She hasn't been helping him that much recently, always off doing her own thing and getting mad at him. Maybe if she had just been there for him a little more, maybe if she herself had tried to do something with this whole hotel situation, none of this would've happened. And instead of sitting here getting drunk by herself, Blair would be in Chuck's suite, cuddled up with him.

God, sixteen year old Blair would hit her.

But sixteen year old Blair isn't around anymore, and the brunette thinks it's incredibly ironic that the night she turned seventeen was also the second time she slept with Chuck. It's almost as if he ripped the real Blair to shreds when he was having sex with her that night. It feels like something that happened to someone else a million years ago, not something that happened to Blair herself just over two years ago.

Two years ago. Despite everything that had been going on in her life at that current time, Blair would've done anything to trade it for the complete screw up that was her life right now. She didn't have Yale, she didn't have Chuck, and she wasn't sure if she even had Serena. At least two years ago Yale was still possible, and she certainly had Serena.

Before she knows it, Blair begins to cry, the soft, silent tears that for some reason always hurt so much more than the loud, wracking sobs. Apparently, despite everything, the universe decided that Blair hadn't been hurt enough.

For some unexplainable twist in fate, a twist that Blair couldn't whether it was a plus or a minus, it was Serena who found her, an hour or so later, a frown on her face and a silver dress on her body. Blair had no idea where the pair stood right now after everything that had happened in the past year, and she didn't know whether the blonde was stalking her or if she just happened to end up in the same bar, but she really didn't want to ask. She had learnt long ago not to ask any questions when it came to Serena and bars. Eighty percent of those stories ended up being incredibly TMI, in ways that Blair didn't exactly want to remember.

Blair's best friend-or former best friend, depending on what was going on with them-took a seat next to the brunette, still frowning. Serena had never been in this situation before, a situation where she herself walked in to a bar and found her best friend drinking and crying. There were numerous times when the positions had been switched, but out of the pair of them, Blair was the good girl. And it didn't take a genius to figure out that Blair must've been pretty upset to be in a situation like this.

"Blair" Serena said softly, reaching for her best friend's hand. Blair flinched, but didn't pull her hand away, so Serena grabbed it tightly, wanting, and needing, to take to the smaller girl. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing" Blair replied, slurring slightly. An empty glass stood on the bar in front of her, although Serena knew it was far from her first. Blair didn't get drunk that often, but whenever she did, she was incredibly unpredictable, and she felt a shot of sympathy to everyone else who had taken to the bar that night.

Serena opened her mouth to question her best friend further, but Blair cut across beforehand, slamming her hand on the table "Waiter!"

"Blair" Serena hissed under her breath, before quickly regaining herself as the bartender came over "No thank you. We're both fine." Blair looked like she wanted to argue, but the bartender left as quickly as he came, probably relieved to be away from the tiny drunk girl, and Blair simply slipped back into fatigue.

Unpredictable. As always.

The pair sat in silence for a few moments, Serena knowing that bringing Blair into this full frontal wouldn't end well, and it appeared the brunette had gone off into her own little world anyway. For Blair, this little world was thinking about her and Chuck, about everything that she should have done and should have said, about everything that he should have done and he should have said, and about how they were now officially broken up. It may have been Blair's doing, the whole break up idea, but she still felt incredibly upset over it.

Serena glanced at the clock above the bar and her frown deepened as the hands pointing at the three and the six marks, deciding that even if she protested, if was about time Blair got home. The blonde got to her feet, slowly easing Blair out of her own chair. The girl protested but couldn't bring herself to seat herself back down, and instead opted to be led outside by Serena, remarks slipping off her tongue more frequently than usual.

"You're being mean" Blair groaned as Serena waved down a taxi, leaning into the other girl. The early morning was cold and both girls shivered, although it appeared that Blair's mind had yet to register that temperature "You're just as bad as Chuck!"

Serena froze at Blair's statement, finally figuring out that whatever Blair was crying and getting drunk over had something to do with Chuck. She didn't blame her friend, considering the history between Chuck and Blair, and Serena herself knew what it was like to get drunk over a break up, but she had no idea what could have gone wrong between them. With those two, there were a million possibilities.

"What happened with you and Chuck, B?" Serena asked quietly, keeping a firm grip on her best friend. A taxi rolled up in front of them, although Serena stood for several moments, waiting for an answer from her best friend. But Blair had gone silent, and had instead turned to trying to open the cab door, with no such luck. Serena sighed, before opening the door herself and ushering the girl in. She knew she'd get no answers from Blair tonight, no matter how much she pushed it.

The cab ride was silent, although Blair eventually snuggled closer to Serena, resting her head on her shoulder. She was defeated, which was very clear to see, and it hurt Serena to see her best friend like this. Blair, who was usually so strong and fierce. She made a mental note to either talk to Chuck about it or kill him, depending on how things played out, and how Blair felt in the morning.

Eventually, the brunette was snuggled up in her bed, sleep coming, but her thoughts still racing a million times a minute about her relationship with Chuck. She wanted it to be easier for them, wanted it to stop hurting so much, wanting a happy future or a complete do over. She knew that given their track record, it wasn't going to happen, but Blair just wanted a happy future. Even if it wasn't with Chuck.

"That's exactly what I want" she muttered, not realizing she had spoken aloud. Serena raised her head with a frown, studying Blair from her seat on the end of Blair's bed. She got to her feet, walking around the bed to stand over Blair, a small smile already playing on her lips.

"What do you want B?" Serena whispered, tucking the covers in around the smaller girl. Serena's been in this situation enough times to know how to act, although she's rarely had to do it with Blair. Blair doesn't get drunk and cry and have to be taken home that often. It was always Serena, who was too busy living the high life with her contagious laugh and long legs and golden hair that was taken care of, the one that was tucked into bed at night when she had drunk too much by Blair. But Serena could count the times the roles were reversed on one hand, and she realizes that that only makes the situation all the more upsetting.

"I want" Blair mumbled into her pillow, thinking around in her hazy mind for her wants and her needs. It all got mixed up so long ago, and her drunken state wasn't going to help that. "I want" she repeated, feeling Serena's long fingers brush her hair back "I want to be somewhere else. Anywhere else. I wish I could be in other time or another place, but just not here. And not now."

Serena gave a sad smile, before leaning in and pressing a kiss to her best friend's forehead "We all want that sometimes, Blair. I see you in the morning with a hangover cure. I love you, B."

But Blair had already drifted off to sleep, so Serena left quietly, the click of the door being the loudest sound in the room. Blair slept on, dreaming of a better place without the hurt she felt right now, completely oblivious to what was taking place.

Serena, surprisingly, was right for once in saying that many people wished to be in a different time and a different place at one point or another. But most of the time, people never got that wish. They were forced to face the next day in the same time and in the same place, the hurt still constant in their heart or their head. Granting a wish like that isn't easy, and wish granting isn't the type of thing that is taken lightly. But the universe had hurt Blair enough tonight, and it was decided that she would be one of the lucky few to get that wish.

Be careful what you wish for, B.


	2. Chapter One: Blazers and Beginnings

**Author's Note:** _Thank you to everyone who reviewed/followed/favourited! I was a little wary of the prologue, but I'm glad you all liked it, and I hope this chapter does justice as well. I'm not very happy with it, but what writer is happy with their writing? I doubt updates will be this common, and I think the speed of this one is mainly due to the fact it was pretty much done when I started the prologue. Nonetheless, I will try to update every one-two weeks. We'll see how it plays out. Anyway, here's the somewhat introduction of Dan and Blair's daughter, although things will become more clear next chapter. Also, regarding faceclaims, Troian Bellisario has, and always will be, my number one pick for Dan and Blair's daughter. So just picture her, I suppose. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy!_

Sunlight bled through the curtains, casting bright rays over the room, the bed, and Blair, who squinted in annoyance, attempting to burrow herself further down under the covers. Normally she'd be up and showering, safe in the comfort that Dorota would be downstairs preparing fruit and yoghurt for breakfast, and Blair would eat some of it and drink coffee, before calling Serena to see if the pair would get up to anything today. It was her usual routine for the weekend, and Blair rarely ever strayed from it.

But after the night she had last night, Blair would rather stay in bed, being waited on hand and foot by Dorota, before checking to see if any events were on tonight. If they were interesting enough, Blair would bring herself to go, and if not-well, if they really wanted her presence, they would have tried harder. Blair wasn't the type of girl who got out of bed with a headache this bad for just anyone.

Forcing her eyes open, Blair propped herself up on one elbow, Dorota's name already on her lips. But the word died on her tongue before she even had a chance to speak it, because if there was one thing Blair was sure of, it was that this was certainly not her room.

The brunette sat up with a jolt, headache still constant but any trace of drowsiness gone. Whatever room this was she was in, she had never seen it before. It wasn't in Nate's townhouse or Serena's penthouse or even one of the places Chuck owned. It was so completely new to her, with its cream walls and deep brown furniture, from the dresser at the front of the room on her right and the bedside table to her left. There was a door to her right which Blair assumed led to the rest of the house, as well as one set of double doors and one single door facing her front. The wardrobe and the bathroom. All of it matched, and glancing down at the covers, Blair discovered that not only where they incredibly comfortable, but they were also the shade as her wall. But she had never seen any of it before. Nevertheless, Blair found the room completely tasteful, and despite it being completely new to her, she couldn't help but feel comforted by it.

She glanced around, taking note of the photos atop the dresser (one looked like a wedding photo, another of a young girl with dark hair), the bookcase laden with books, the vanity table with makeup placed neatly across it, attempting to piece together whose room she was in. Had she stumbled off after the events she remembered from last night and ended up passing out in the bedroom of someone she vaguely knew? No, Blair explicitly remembered Serena putting her to bed in her own room, promising to visit in the morning with a hangover cure. God, had something happened from then until this morning? Blair turned to the bedside table to see if her phone was there, but the only objects upon it where an alarm clock and a thick book. Blair swallowed, a million scenarios rushing through her head, and none of them with a very happy ending.

Blair considered getting to her feet and looking around, the consequences, whatever they were, to be dealt with later. But she had barely made up her mind when a voice rang from somewhere in the rest of the house. It was somewhere close by, but too far for Blair to register what the girl was saying. At least Blair thought it was a girl's voice.

The voice in question was one Blair was positive she had never heard before in her life, but for some reason, it comforted her the same way the room did. Except this time it was different, because she also felt something that felt like love. But that was impossible. How could Blair love someone she had never met? She hadn't even seen the person, and had only heard their voice. She squinted, trying to remember what she drank last night, but she severely doubted that cosmopolitans could do this to her.

She shook her head, before glancing to the door. She thought about making a break for it but realized her attempts would not only be futile but also embarrassing, especially considering it felt like the only thing she was wearing was underwear and a nightgown.

Wait, nightgown? Blair was pretty sure Serena had put her to bed fully clothed. She was about to glance down when the voice called out again, and this time, Blair managed to register what the girl-it was definitely a girl's voice-was saying.

"Mum?"

Blair froze, wondering where the hell she had ended up. This girl, whoever she was, was looking for her mother, and judging from the room, Blair was in the mother's bedroom. Whatever had happened to her last night didn't appear to be that pretty, and she cursed herself for not forcing Serena to stay and keep watch on her so she didn't go running off again. Drunk and tired shouldn't have been excuses for letting the blonde leave her alone.

Blair got to her feet, her feet hitting the soft white carpet as she attempted to think of an excuse. The footsteps were getting closer, and although Blair was usually quick on her feet when it came to planning and scheming, not a single excuse came to mind. What the hell was one supposed to do when they woke up in a strange bedroom where a daughter looking for her mother was bound to walk into any second?

Nothing. Because people aren't supposed to find themselves in these sorts of situations. Blair threw back her shoulders, deciding she'd work this out bit by bit. Or at least charm her way through.

The door opened, and a pretty girl with dark brown hair stepped through, mouth set in a smile. She couldn't have been more than sixteen, and was dressed in attire that Blair thought was actually nice, compared to the usual fashion disasters she was used to. A cream silk blouse paired with a black empire skirt, neatly topped off with a pair of white pumps. A black blazer with white hemming rested neatly over the blouse, and the girl managed to pull off what Blair dubbed 'the signature Waldorf hairstyle', even including a sky blue silk headband. If Blair didn't know any better, she'd think the girl was a mini her, despite having a good few inches on sixteen year old Blair.

But what surprised Blair the most was that the girl didn't scream or ask a million questions or throw her bag at Blair. Instead, she simply raised an eyebrow, still smiling as if nothing had changed "You're up late."

Blair froze, wondering if this girl was insane or high or both. Blair might have not had the protocol on how to act when a strange girl shows up in your mother's bedroom, but she was pretty sure it wasn't just to smile and say '_You're up late_.'

The girl, however, seemed completely unfazed, and was in fact checking her phone as if nothing was wrong. Blair, however stood there, staring at the girl as if she might explode any second. For all Blair knew, she was going to.

The girl rolled her eyes, before tossing her phone back in her bag and turning back to face Blair "I just came to tell you that I'm heading off. Michael's finally decided on a place for lunch. Only took him three hours, and then, being the complete neanderthal that he is, asked why we never let him do anything. But you know, whatever, as long as Luc, M and I get our shopping done for tomorrow's brunch, I c-" She broke off quite suddenly, as if seeing Blair for the first time, and Blair prepared herself for an attack.

"Mum? Are you alright?" The girl said instead, an expression of worry crossing her face. But the way Blair saw it, she didn't have a right to be worried. Blair was the one who had just been called mum by a sixteen year old girl. She did her best to keep her calm, already itching to call the police or the hospital or anything and anyone to get her away from blazer girl.

"I'm sorry, what?" Blair demanded, hoping that would cover her fear and confusion. The girl squinted, taking a step forward, and although Blair wanted to step away, she found she couldn't. Oh god, what was happening to her? How could this girl, this room, everything be so new to her yet so completely familiar?

The only conclusion Blair managed to come up with, the one without having to 'bother' any officials and get a lecture from her own mother, was that this girl was playing a twisted game, not unlike the ones Blair used to play. Blair figured the younger girl was up to something, and perhaps she had screwed the girl over before, back in her manipulation days. Well, sever manipulation days. It could explain why the girl seemed familiar too her, and perhaps she could through the room in there too. Blair could not recall for the life of her what she had done to the girl, which only confused her more. And, if she was honest, scared her more.

"Are you alright?" The girl asked again, her smile finally replaced by a frown "Do you want me to get dad? Or Dorota?"

Blair dug her fingers into the bed, still more confused than ever. Dad? Was this girl going to bring in her father and get Blair thrown out of her mother's room? Was she going to be tossed out onto the street? Was she going to be murdered?

Blair shook her head, instructing herself to keep calm. This girl-blazer girl-was probably waiting for some kind of bad reaction, wanting to get her riled up for whatever sick game she had in store. But Blair wasn't going to give her the satisfaction, and she'd like to see the girl give it her best shot. Blazer girl had mentioned Dorota, probably having done her background check, and well, Blair wasn't going to let her win. So with that and a forced smile, she tossed back her hair and nodded.

"Sorry. Dorota would be lovely."

The girl nodded, leaning in and pressing a kiss to Blair's cheek, before going downstairs to fetch 'Dorota.' But Blair's mind was far from that now, instead, she bought her hand to her cheek, the cheek the girl touched. Normally she'd have thrown something at her or at least insulted her, but the kiss felt so normal, felt so homely, that she couldn't have done it. And she found she didn't want to either.

"Don't" Blair told herself "That's exactly what crazy blazer bitch wants you to think." Blair rubbed at her cheek, as determined as ever not to let this situation get the better of her. Whatever was going on, she would figure it out, because she was Blair Waldorf, and that's what she's always done. With a deep breath, Blair got to her feet once more, determined to check out the scenery and see if that had any clues.

She picked up the book on the table, looking at it with a frown. It was worn and judging by the slight folding on half the pages from being dog-eared, the book had been read a million times by blazer girl's mother. Blair squinted at it, fingers tracing over the title and author as she read it.

_Inside: By Anonymous._

She snorted at that, wondering what kind of title that was, and also who the freak going by anonymous was. Blair couldn't even be bothered to read the blurb, and placed it back on the table, a smirk in place. If the author wanted to remain a secret and also had the audacity to call their book Inside, Blair couldn't give them any more time of day than they deserved. Which really wasn't much.

Blair stepped towards the wardrobe, opening it up and almost grinning with joy. She knew that it didn't belong to her, but it was still one of the most magnificent wardrobes she had ever seen. She stepped inside, glancing around at the walls filled with jackets and dresses and skirts and blouses, topped off with what seemed to be a million pairs of shoes. Only one wall was dedicated to blazer girl's father, and despite the plaid thrown in here and there-plaid, what kind of man wore plaid besides Dan Humphrey?-it seemed to be quite fashionable. Blair suddenly heard footsteps and voices, and she quickly walked out of the closest, shutting the door behind her. A sigh escaped her lips, and Blair wished that she could have spent longer in there. Still, there was no time for that. It was time to deal with last night's consequences.

Blair was fully prepared to sit back down on the bed and prepare herself, but the photos on the nearby dresser caught her eye. The dresser was right next to the vanity table, and Blair walked over slowly, knowing that it was only seconds before Blazer girl and her allies showed up. Still, something about the photos and the mirror were drawing her in, and she found she couldn't help but resist going over.

The first photo, the one of the girl, turned out to be Blazer girl herself, although she looked about twelve in the photo. Her thick hair was still loose except for the headband placed firmly in it, and she was laughing. For some odd reason, the photograph made her smile and filled her with love, although Blair herself couldn't possibly place why.

But the next photo could.

Blair picked it up, although she didn't have time to register it before the door behind her opened. She froze, and turned to face the door, meeting Blazer girl and on older version of Dorota, as well as a handsome man who looked about forty. He seemed familiar somehow, but not the way Blazer girl did. The way Dorota did. And he made Blair's heart swell, although she promptly ignored that. Sickness from the night before, probably. All three of them were looking at Blair with concern, although she couldn't possibly place why the man and Blazer girl were. And how on earth was older-scratch that, how on earth was Dorota actually here, taking several steps towards Blair, her voice still the same ?

"Mrs Blair?"

Wait, _Mrs_ Blair?

Blair wondered if whatever she had gotten up to last night after Serena left involved the woman who basically raised her. It wouldn't explain why Dorota looked older, but it might explain why she was here in the first place and calling her _Mrs_ Blair.

"_Miss_ Blair" Blair said firmly, and Dorota frowned, the man and blazer girl throwing each other confused glances. Blair considered throwing the object in her hand at the three crazy stalkers, not knowing if the woman standing in front of her was really Dorota. Dorota didn't have slightly greying her and she had never, in all her time of being under the Waldorf's employment, had she called Blair Mrs. And if she was Dorota, Blair could explain her actions after she dealt with blazer girl and her dad. She raised the photograph too, fully determined to throw it at blazer girl and co, only for the image inside the frame to catch her eye.

It was Blair herself, who appeared to be in her early twenties, in a white dress on her wedding day. Kissing her husband of the same age, in a tux, on their wedding day. And it just so happened that that man was Dan Humphrey.

But that was impossible. She wasn't even Dan's friend, let alone his wife. She was supposed to marry Chuck, once they sorted all that drama over the hotel situation out. It was how her life was supposed to plan out, it's the way she wanted her life to plan out. Whatever was happening, it certainly wasn't normal. Or logical. Or anything along those lines.

Blair squeaked and dropped the photo, hearing it crash on the floor. Blazer girl jumped, and Dorota gasped, but it was handsome man-he wasn't Dan freaking Humphrey, it couldn't be-that spoke.

"Blair, are you alright?"

Blair shook her head, taking several steps backwards and nearly tripping on the carpet. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening. She was nineteen, for crying out loud, not forty. She'd had a pregnancy scare when she was seventeen, but she didn't have a kid. And she'd just dumped Chuck Bass, not married Dan Humphrey. It was all just a dream. No, scratch that, a nightmare. And she would wake up soon and everything would be alright.

Blair turned her head away from the three, catching sight of herself in the vanity's mirror, and let out another squeak, running her hands over her face. When she was younger, she was the type of girl who decided she was going to live by the never look a day past thirty 'rule.' She expected to be sexy and glamorous and young looking forever, to such an extent that she was pretty sure she and Serena had made a pact on it.

But the face looking back at her in the mirror, whilst certainly an older version of Blair, didn't look like she was thirty. The face looking back at her could pass for thirty five at the youngest, and although it wasn't the dream look Blair had wanted when she turned forty, she found she didn't mind the result. She was still beautiful, as arrogant as it sounded, in an aged way. Her brown curls still framed her face, and her eyes were still as bright as ever. The funny thing was, Blair had always liked her eyes. They weren't beautiful and blue like Serena's, but they were still one of the features she had always liked about herself. And the fact that they still glowed like that when she was forty-

At that very thought, Blair's stomach dropped, and she remembered the circumstances. She was forty. She was forty and she was not supposed to be, because she was nineteen yesterday. She was forty and she was married to Dan Humphrey and she was not supposed to be, because this time yesterday she was dating Chuck Bass. She was forty and had a teenage daughter and she was not supposed to, because-

Blair shook her head, stepping backwards away from the vanity, stumbling but not caring very much at all. She could see Dorota out of the corner of her eye, looking on with worry and obviously upset that she didn't know what to do or say. Blazer girl was frowning and fiddling with her fingers, concern lacing her face. And Dan Humphrey-who was not her husband, Blair absolutely refused to believe it-was stepping towards her slowly, looking more concerned than Blair had ever seen him, even when Serena reverted back to her old ways two years ago.

Except it wasn't two years ago. It was twenty three years ago, when Blair was still young and naive and had a thing with Chuck, when Serena was with Dan and nobody had a kid and Dorota did not look that old. When she didn't wake up in strange bedrooms and still lived by the never look a day past thirty 'rule.' But all of it, most of the things Blair could remember from her life, happened at least twenty three years ago.

And it was this thought, more than any other, that caused Blair to promptly faint.


	3. Chapter Two: Sci-Fi and Snapshots

_**Author's Note: **__Oh god, I'm so sorry this took so long! School started up again, and I've been feeling awful lately in both the emotional and physical sense, but hopefully updates will become more frequent soon. Thank you to everyone who favourited/followed/reviewed, and excuse any medical failures with this chapter. I have never dealt with someone who's fainted and, let's be real, Yahoo answers isn't that reliable. Anyway, here's chapter three!_

When Blair awoke next, it was in a comfy bed, and her head with filled with some sort of cloudiness as it tried to piece together what had happened. While she struggled to put it all together, she sensed the presence of someone else in the room. Blair turned her head groggily and saw Dorota bustling about. Blair smiled, relieved the woman was still around, and attempted to sit up.

"No" Dorota said sharply and suddenly, and Blair frowned. She was about to question Dorota further on the matter, but the woman shook her head. "Stay down for little while longer."

Blair scoffed, but obliged, knowing full well that Dorota did everything in an attempt to make Blair's life easier and better. The woman had practically raised her, while Eleanor was off doing everything except being a mother, and Harold was, well, even though Blair's relationship with her father was certainly better than her relationship with her mother, he had been a busy man and had put in lots of long hours, leaving Blair in the company of Dorota, and later Serena, for much of her life.

As Blair stared up at the ceiling, still slightly foggy, she attempted to piece together what had happened, and why she was lying in a bed that certainly wasn't her own. The slight fogginess in her mind temporarily caused Blair to think that she was hungover, but she didn't have a throbbing headache or a mouth that felt like sawdust. Not to mention that nearly every time she had gotten drunk in the past, she had woken up to blonde hair spilled across her pillow-Blair was rarely bad without Serena around.

No, there had to be another reason.

And then it all came back to Blair with a jolt, causing the brunette to sit upright and Dorota to call "Mrs Blair!" out. But the Mrs in front of her name just caused Blair to shake her head in despair, still refusing to believe the realizations she had come across before. She vaguely registered Dorota pressing towels to her face (and with that Blair recalled her fainting), but she was mainly focused on one thing: the fact that she was married to Dan Humphrey. And had a daughter. With Dan Humphrey.

She sat there in bed, clutching the covers underneath her hands tightly. This was not happening. This could not be happening. This-it was just not possible.

But with several deep breaths, Blair glanced down at her hand, and realized that it was possible. Her hand had aged, of course, but that wasn't the thing that struck Blair the most. It was the wedding band around her finger, the engagement ring close by. She was officially, impossibly, married to Dan Humphrey.

Honestly, Blair didn't know what was more surprising. The fact that she had apparently ended up in the future, without any explanation whatsoever, or that she was married to Dan Humphrey. Dan Humphrey, who she had spent the past two and a half years making fun of, occasionally (not that Blair wanted to focus on that right now) teaming up with him.

But that was always for the sake of Serena, so how did she end up being the one married to him? Where was her best friend in this situation, the golden haired blue eyed beauty who Dan clearly believed was his soulmate? Did Dan and Blair even know her anymore? Or had their relationships fallen apart when Dan and Blairs began, whenever that was, and for whatever reason why it was. Was Serena van der Woodsen no longer a part of her life?

And what about Chuck? Where did he fit into all of this? Just last night-or twenty one years ago-she was wishing she'd never see him again, that Chuck Bass would just become a distant memory. But now, Blair would do just about anything to see him again, not only for the glimpse of normality it would give her, but also because, as far as Blair was concerned, she was completely and utterly in love with him. Not Dan Humphrey, no matter what the butterflies in her stomach suggested.

"Mrs Blair, are you sure you're alright?"

The familiar voice of Dorota brought Blair out from the current of questions running through her head, and, with a tight smile, Blair's eyes flickered towards the older woman. If there was one thing Blair knew for certain right now, it was that she couldn't let anyone know what had happened. They'd probably send her into a mental institution, something that wouldn't be good for past Blair or present Blair. Or present Blair and future Blair.

Godiva, this time travel stuff was doing her head in. She didn't watch Doctor Who or Startrek or whatever ridiculous sci-fi shows there were, so Blair had no idea how she was supposed to handle this situation. Except, perhaps, by being Blair.

"I'm fine" she replied, hoping that for once, just once, Dorota would believe her lies and leave her alone. She needed time to think, time to gather her thoughts, time to figure out what was going on or she was going to _scream_.

"Mrs Blair-"

Blair's mind quickly snapped to work, thinking of something, anything that would keep Dorota from asking any further questions, and anything that would help Blair piece her life together. Killing two birds with one stone, and hopefully, if everything went Blair's way (although frankly, she was doubting that would happen anymore) prevent any future fainting or other mishaps. That would raise more questions, and that was simply something the brunette couldn't deal with right now.

"Dorota" Blair asked slowly, as her answer came to her, and none too soon as well. Dorota looked as if she was on the verge of pushing Blair's condition, and Blair was on the verge of freaking out. Again. Her attempts to keep calm wouldn't hold out if she didn't get some answers, and thankfully, it appeared she was about to get exactly that. "Could you perhaps fetch me the photo albums?"

Dorota frowned at this request, and Blair wondered briefly if there weren't any photo albums. She quickly dismissed this thought, knowing full well that _if_ she was married to Dan Humphrey, they'd have some photos of their life together lying around. Hopefully photos of not only them, but of Serena and Nate and her parents and _Chuck_, maybe even a few of the girl who was supposed to be her daughter thrown in, providing Blair with some evidence of what her life had been like the past twenty or so years.

Dorota excused herself momentarily, and Blair wondered, irrationally, if she'd be able to escape through the window. She wasn't in her right mind, she was incredibly confused and irritated, and running out before she got answers wasn't the way to help any of that. And Blair had no idea how far up her room was to the ground, or, if there would be any way to get down in the first place. Blair pushed away the idea as quickly as it had come, but still found herself getting to her feet, toes digging into the soft carpet.

Dorota reappeared at that very moment, a large album in her hands and a thrown on her face. Blair rolled her eyes, more out of habit than anything else, when she saw Dorota's mouth open. Blair snatched the album from her maid's hands, the other woman following her as she made her way back to the bed.

"You should not be up, Mrs Blair. It is n-"

"As much as I appreciate your concern, Dorota, I'm a-" Blair paused for a moment before swallowing, the words that she spoke feeling like acid on her tongue "grown woman."

Dorota nodded, before nodding towards the bed for Blair to sit down. The brunette obliged, but, with photo album still clutched in her hands, she gave Dorota a pointed look.

"Miss Emily and Mr Dan are very worried" Dorota explained as if it was a better option that straight up refusal, and despite her wishes, Blair couldn't bring herself to ridicule Dorota for that. The maid continued, not as if she was oblivious to Blair's feelings, but because she knew when to push it and when not to when it came to Blair. Raising someone does that to you. "They said that I could not leave you, because after you fainted-"

"Dorota" Blair forced herself to say as pleasantly as possible, as if she was not seconds away from ripping her hair out, if she didn't get the chance to look at this photo album "It will not hurt you to wait outside. I just need ten minutes to collect myself."

Dorota looked reluctant, but left nonetheless, and although the door closed quietly behind her, Blair had no doubt that Dorota was waiting on the other side, ear pressed to the door. Blair felt a rush of affection towards the women, but quickly pushed it aside. She had other things, more important things to deal with right now.

She stared down at the album in her hands, fingers tracing the edges as she mentally prepared herself. This book-this thick brown book held snippets of the past few years of her life which was supposedly, _supposedly_ with Dan Humphrey. It would hopefully tell her everything she needed to know, so Blair could go about this life for however long she was stuck here without raising too many eyebrows. It would tell her if she was really married to Humphrey, if she really had a daughter, if Serena and Nate and Chuck were still a part of her life. Whatever else this book held, it held what may be Blair's life from this point on in case she couldn't-no, she was _not_ going there. She was getting back to the past, her time, whatever the cost. If there was one thing Blair knew she absolutely had to do, it would be to get back home.

But she couldn't do that without knowing the details of her life.

With a deep breath, Blair slid her finger under the cover before flipping it open. The first picture that caught her eye was the only confirmation she needed on one of her questions, and Blair nearly slammed the book closed again.

There she was, dressed in a dress of white, hair done up, makeup perfect, wrapped in the arms of Dan Humphrey in a suit. To his credit, his hair didn't look like a mop, and his suit didn't look like something that he bought at some second hand store in Brooklyn. But neither that, or the fact that she looked genuinely happy in the photo caused Blair to accept that she was married to Dan Humphrey. At least, in this future.

Suddenly, Blair sat up a little straighter, her mind working like clockwork again. She had never watched sci-fi movies or anything of the sort, but perhaps, there was a less than logical explanation to it. Not that it mattered. She had woken up in the future, married to Dan Humphrey, with a _daughter_-logic was clearly out of the question.

And so Blair figured she could be excused for the excuses she was thinking about right now, anything that would help deny the glaring truth. Because, for all Blair knew, this wasn't even her real future. She knew dreaming was no longer in the question, but maybe she had been transported to some alternate universe or something. Anything would be better than this.

If sixteen year old Blair would've wanted to hit nineteen year old Blair, than nineteen year old Blair would've wanted to have hit this Blair. Blair Waldorf did not turn to _sci-fi_ to solve her problems.

But Blair Waldorf also didn't marry Dan Humphrey.

Unsure of whether she'd rather believe in alternate universes or a marriage to Dan Humphrey, Blair focused back down on the photo album. She turned away once more so she wouldn't have to stare at the picture, the picture that now explained her life, the picture that just threw everything nineteen year old Blair knew to the wind. Only when the next page was surely facing upwards that Blair turned to the album again, dread already creeping up.

It was a feeling that was replaced with relief almost instantly however, when Blair spotted the next picture. It was Blair, alright, although she looked to be about thirty in the picture. Her age was clear, but Blair knew it was herself. If this was any other day, any other situation, she would've been worried about how she looked for a thirty-year old woman. But what caught her eye wasn't that. It was blonde hair spilling on to tanned shoulders, blue eyes twinkling at the camera, white toothed smile lighting up the picture. It was Serena, photographed in all her golden glory.

If Blair's emotions weren't as muddled as they were right now, she was positive she would've cried from joy. She knew that at least ten years had passed since this picture was taken, but it was clearly taken after the one at Blair's wedding, so the brunette hoped that it meant they were still friends. If Blair marrying Dan, who was Serena's first _real_ love, possibly even her true love, didn't tear them apart, it gave the brunette high hopes for their friendship.

Blair wondered what had happened to Serena, how the future was treating her beautiful best friend. Was she married? Did she have children? What was her job? And most importantly, was she at peace with herself? If there was one thing Blair had always wanted deep down for her best friend, even during their arguments and break ups, it was that one day, Serena would not only be happy with her life, but happy with herself. If that had happened, Blair might've been able to get used to this new future.

But it was a pretty big might.

Feeling somewhat better than before, Blair turned to the next picture, and instantly wanted to kill the feelings inside of her. She was not supposed to be feeling what Blair could only describe as love for this odd girl she didn't know, a girl with kind yet hard eyes and the deep Waldorf waves, somewhat darker than Blair's own.

Two more feelings came to Blair in that moment, one of reluctance, and on of fear, as it finally, officially sunk into Blair-this was her daughter. Her daughter with Dan Humphrey, her daughter who had probably been described more than once as a perfect combination of both her parents.

She was smiling in the picture, her dark brown hair framing her face. She looked slightly younger than the girl who had been in what Blair assumed to be her room not an hour before, maybe fourteen or fifteen. She was beautiful, and even Blair herself had to admit, that if there was ever a Humphrey-Waldorf child, this was it.

Blair tossed the book to the side, hearing a soft thump as it landed on the bed beside her, but the same feeling of fear was taking over again, and Blair could barely register the sound. She wasn't quite sure why, but having a daughter filled Blair with a bigger sense of dread than being married to Dan Humphrey did. Blair wasn't sure why-maybe she was scared of being a mother, especially since, despite her outer appearance, she was still a nineteen year old girl. Mentally and emotionally, and raising a sixteen year old daughter was not going to help her in either of those. Or maybe it was that she had a daughter with Dan Humphrey. The combination of both being married to Cabbage Patch and having a daughter did not bode well for Blair when they were combined.

Trembling, Blair got to her feet and made her way slowly to the bathroom, knowing her time was running out. Dorota was sure to return again in a few minutes, and before that happened, Blair needed to compose herself.

Entering the tiled room, Blair shut the door softly behind her, and focused her attentions on the mirror in front of her. It was that and the sink that Blair noticed, as if everything else was just a blurry figure in the back of her mind. But still, Blair didn't focus on her reflection-she couldn't deal with that image again-and instead gripped the edge of the sink, breathing in deeply.

She was married to Dan Humphrey. She was at least forty years old. She had a daughter. She was still nineteen inside. There was no guide to this, no guide whatsoever, and Blair knew she'd have to figure this out the default way. The Waldorf way.

That meant that she'd have to fake a smile, pretend she was okay, pretend she was married to Dan Humphrey, and pretend that she was a mother. Not only a mother, but a good one. For the briefest second, Blair prayed that she hadn't turned out like Eleanor, but the way her daughter had looked at her confirmed that Blair was not her mother. It gave her the tiniest glimmer of hope, and as she stared down at the porcelain sink, Blair thought she might be able to pull this off.

Besides, it was only for a few days, wasn't it? Surely Blair wouldn't be stuck here forever, and once she got back to the past, her present, she could fix everything with Chuck and prevent this from happening. Maybe this was a warning, and God had finally done something to help Blair. Maybe this was to show Blair that if she didn't sort out her relationship with Chuck, this would be her future. And it was up to her to prevent it.

Feeling better, although not quite one hundred percent, Blair turned, still refusing to look in the mirror, and made her way out of the bathroom. As if on cue, Dorota walked in the bedroom door, giving Blair a small smile.

"Mrs Blair, are you feeling better?"

A twinge of doubt rose in Blair again, but at the thought of what would happen if she kept acting odd, or failed this task (for Blair had simply accepted this was a warning to fix her life), she smiled right back at Dorota, even if it was a little forced.

"I feel fine."

Dorota let out a bigger small, and the tiniest shred of doubt faded away as she realized, at the very least, that she had Dorota in this.

"Time for breakfast with Mr Dan and Miss Emily."


	4. Authour's Note

Sorry to those who saw a new chapter and thought it was an update.

It is an update, I suppose, just not the kind I hope people were expecting. More of an explanation.

I have no intentions of abandoning this story. I know exactly what I want to do with it and where I want it to go, and I do have everything mapped out.

I do not, however, currently have the inspiration to write it. I get like this sometimes, and then a month or so later I just get a lot of inspiration. It happens. I've started the next chapter, and I know what I want to do with it and the next few, but the words just aren't coming.

I am, however, determined to continue and eventually finish this, and I hope you're all happy to wait for whenever the next update might be. It may be a week, it may be a month or anytime earlier, between, or later, but it's coming.

Thanks to everyone for all their support so far, and hopefully you guys won't have to wait long now.

Tibby.


End file.
